The present invention relates to a new and useful machine clamp adapted for gripping a work piece to secure the work piece at a desired pre-selected location on a machine bed. This machine clamp is particularly adaptable for use with irregular work pieces to be milled, cut drilled or otherwise operated on by a machine tool and is constructed to quickly and easily grip both regular and irregular pieces at any position or any angle.
While various devices have been used to grip or clamp a work piece to a machine tool bed, often such clamps are unable to grip objects of irregular size and shape. A machinist must thus custom design a clamp structure for a special purpose with this special clamp being adaptable to the particular machine upon which the work is to be performed. Such clamps require the use of step blocks and shims where the step block is built up to be the same height as the work piece so the clamp can be secured in a position parallel to the machine bed. Such procedure is time consuming and expensive so that undue waste is introduced into the machining operation. These clamps must be completely assembled and disassembled for use on selected locations on the machine bench.
While several advantages over flat clamps and other prior art devices were provided by the machine clamp shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,438, issued Jan. 4, 1966, it is still desirable to have an inexpensive clamp with increased versatility and clamping strength. Further, it is desirable to have a clamp that is able to grip irregular objects quickly and easily while remaining attached to a machine bed.